Antonio Conte sent to the stands as Chelsea see off Swansea

29/11/2017

Antonio Conte was sent off as Chelsea claimed a fifth Premier League win in six games with a 1-0 defeat of Swansea.

Head coach Conte was dismissed from the touchline for the first time in his Chelsea career by referee Neil Swarbrick moments before half-time after furiously protesting the award of a Swansea goal kick.

Abramovich may heed Conte's calls to strengthen the Chelsea squad in the winter transfer window after the Blues struggled to kill off their poor visitors.

The Blues' only dropped points in their last six league games came at Liverpool last Saturday, while Swansea suffered a 10th loss of the season.

After coming off the substitutes' bench to net the equaliser at Anfield, Willian started for the first time since the October 14 loss at Crystal Palace as Conte rotated his options.

Cesar Azpilicueta did not start a Premier League game for the first time under Conte. A run of 74 league starts, since December 2015, ended as Eden Hazard also dropped to the bench for Chelsea.

It was like a training drill of attack versus defence which featured two penalty appeals for the Blues.

The first came when Alvaro Morata, who with eight league goals this season has one more than Swansea as a team, and Mike van der Hoorn were grappling in the area. Marcos Alonso next felt he was tripped by Renato Sanches.